Street letter-box



(N0 Model.)

` H. G. GLDS. STREET LETTERBOX. 110,461,209. Patented Oct. 13,1891.

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:w ii iv 11 I; 'l l| :l A A i e wf' rvNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

'HENRY c. oLDs, or FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

STREET vLETTER-BOX.

l SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,209,dated'October 13, 1891.

n Application filed May 25, 1891. Serial No. 393,946. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HENRY G. OLDS, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Fort lVayne, county of Allen, and State ofIndiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification.

- My invention has for its object to provide a convenient letter-boxwhich shall be both exceedingly simple and cheapin its construction andat the same time completely protect the contents of the box from dirtand rain, while it will be impossible to remove mailmatter oncedeposited therein Without unlocking or breaking the box g and myimprovements consist in certain novel details of construction andarrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more particularly pointedout and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front perspective view of my improvedbox; Fig. 2, a central longitudinal section of the same with the lid orcover raised to display the opening'for the mail-matter.

A represents the box proper, preferably made of thin cast-iron or othersuitable material and preferably of the shape shown in the drawings,being broader at the top than at the bottom and having an inclined frontside h.

B is the lid or cover of the box, the edges of which extend out in frontand on the sides over the top of the box, so as to effectually preventthe entrance of dirt and rain, while the rear edge d of this cover B isbent down -to form a curved liange over the rear side of the box for thesame purpose, the back edge of the box being cut away at ct to allow forthe movement of this ange CZ as the cover is raised, as hereinafterdescribed.

To form a more effectual safeguard from rain and dirt, if desired, theedges of the cover B could be turned down on all sides to form sideianges, which in some cases would be the preferable construction. Sidepieces C C are secured to the under side of the cover B and extend downjust within the sides of the box, while a front piece b is likewisesecured to the cover between these side pieces C C.

A rear plate D is rigidly secured to the under side of the cover, which,when the cover is down, extends along the rear wall of the box. Thecover is hinged or pivoted by pins c c at the back of the box, and thelength of the front piece b and the back piece D of the cover are soadjusted that upon raising the cover B the back piece D will swing overu-ntil it touches the inclined front Wall hof the box at the same timethat the front piece b is raised above the edge of the box to allow'space for the insertion of mail-matter, the side pieces C C being ofsuch length as to completely close the side openings at all times. Vhenthe cover B is thus raised, an upper compartment is formed to receivethe Inailmatter by the rear piece D of the cover; but as soon as thecover B is released and falls back by its own gravity to place the .rearpiece D, swingingback withit, allows the mailmatter to drop into theAbottom of the box. Thus the raising of the box to deposit a letter orpackage closes the mail-depository at the bottom, so that no mail-mattercan be withdrawn through the deposit-opening after it has once fallen tothe bottom without breaking the box or unlocking it. A

The mail-compartment is entered by the door E, secured by lockG infrontof the box, and in order to enable the mail-carrier to ascertainwhetherthere is any mail-matter in the of narrow slots e e in the door E,covering the same by a plate of glass f, which is secured to the door bythe rim F, so that the contents of the box will be visible, but nothingcan be withdrawn through the slots in the door. l l

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to securebylLetters Patent,

l. In a letter-box, the combination, with the bottom, back, and sidesthereof, of a front having an outwardly-inclined upper portion, a coverhinged to the rear of the box, with side and end pieces secured to theunder surface ot' the. cover and extending within the box, whereby uponthe liftingof the cover the rear piece will be brought against theinclined front of the box to separate the box into two compartments,substantially as shown and described.

2. In a letter-box, the combination, with ICO hinged at the back thereofand having side l and front extensions to protect; the contents of thebox and a curved rear ange to cover the hinge-joint, together with sidepieces attached to the under surface of the Cover to close the sideopenings. when the @over is the front, sides, and rear of the boX,ofacover raised, and pins passing through these side pieces, upon whichthe Cover is hinged, substantially as sh'own and described.

` HENRY G. OLDS.

Ttnesses:

J. A. SHEPARD, GEO. D. CRANE.

